By Chris Summerfield
I thought I would pay another tribute to one of Britain’s greatest horror icons and this time I decided upon the great, Peter Cushing.
Peter was born on the 26th of May 1913 in Kenley, Surrey, England. He became famous for his roles within Hammer movies, either as Dr Van Helsing or Dr Frankenstein and also acted within some great Hammer films, to mention a few, the 1957, The Abominable Snowman as the Botanist, John Rollason, as well as starring in the 1958, The hound of the Baskervilles, as the, Sherlock Holmes and in the 1971, Twins of evil, he starred as the puritan, Gustav Weil, a fearless witch hunter.
Peter Cushing had also made a household name for himself with, Amicus movies, in which he starred in, such as, in the 1965, Dr Terror’s house of horrors, he played the mysterious, Doctor Schreck. In, the, 1972, Tales from the Crypt, Peter played, a gentle, retired garbage man, Arthur Grimsdyke and within the, 1973, Beyond the grave, he was the proprietor to the curiosity shop that guarantees misfortune to potential buyers that cheat him.
He also played, Dr Who on the big screen in Dr Who and the Daleks and Daleks-Invasion Earth 2150.
And in 1971 tragedy struck, Peter with the loss of his beloved wife, Helen, in which he never got over so therefore he decided upon throwing himself in to whatever movies would come his way, just to keep going…
Peter therefore made many movies in the seventies, both for Hammer studios and Amicus, some I have already mentioned, as well as making a few cult movies such as, in 1977, in The Uncanny, he played the, Author Wilbur Gray, a man with a fear of cats and before that in 1976 he starred in, Shockwaves, one of the original, Nazi zombie movies, in which he starred as an, ex Nazi officer… and last of all let’s not forget he starred in, Star wars as, Grand Moff Tarkin, playing alongside his fellow British actor, David Prowse, (Darth Vader) both actors having played alongside each other earlier in, the hammer 1974, Frankenstein and the monster from hell…
As for honours, Peter Cushing was given an O.B.E (Order of the British Empire) by the Queen of the United Kingdom in 1989 for his contribution to film, stage, radio and television…
Peter Cushing in whatever movie he made would give all, was sleek, smart and charismatic and always magnetising to watch, a true legend of horror, who unfortunately died back in 1994, though never forgotten for his legacy…
It leaves me to say, Scared Stiff Reviews, acknowledges the work of the great Peter Cushing, O.B.E, as one of the greatest, horror icons, long live his memory…